I have been with my partner for past 14 years and during this time have discovered his Bipolar disorder. We have had a lot of ups and downs as is normal with this disease and always made it work somehow. 3 weeks ago he started taking Lithium, last Thursday they doubled his dosage and its been downhill ever since. He took the higher dose Thursday and immdiately withdrew from me, then Friday he went out to a bar and got drunk. I picked him up and on the way home he was ranting about some singer in there that was doing things wrong and not really making a lot of sense. Saturday came and he was talking with his sister and a friend of ours and said he was Scared I was going to break up with him, then went to the mall to buy me a valentines gift. Sunday rolls around and we were listening to Jennifer Hudson sing I will Always Love you on the Grammy awards and he burst into tears and blurted out that it was over and we had just grown apart. He thinks he is thinking so clearly that he finally has it all figured out. He is already out looking for an apartment and I just dont know what to do. Is this normal for people taking Lithium to experience this and how do I cope with all of this without letting him destroy us both in the process? I love him very much and just can not imagine losing what we have built together.

You or a family member should contact his prescribing doctor with these symptoms he is presenting. It sounds almost like he is having a manic episode. Try to keep him from doing anything foolish until the doctor can see him. He should not be drinking alcohol while taking lithium. It diminishes the effectiveness. Good luck.

Thanks, I know he should not be drinking but getting him to realize it is another story. Apparently he already signed a lease on a new apartment and is moving out this week. When he makes these Rash decisions he jumps head first and there is no reasoning with him, so I guess the only thing I can do is let him go. Its not something I can fix for him and I just can not keep tearing myself apart in the process. Its such a shame because the Love we have is real and everyone but him can see it. Oh well, such is life. Right? Thanks so much for resonding though. Have a great day.